A mother who won compensation from the London Women’s Clinic after her daughter was born with a genetic defect has spoken for the first time of her horror at hearing the news.
The woman, known as ARL as she cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been given abnormal donor sperm, which will affect her daughter’s ability to have children.
The prestigious private clinic admitted it had failed in its duty of care and agreed undisclosed damages in a settlement approved in the High Court. It will compensate the daughter, now aged four, for the problems she is likely to face in later life.
But her mother has challenged its Harley Street doctors to show what has been done to stop the error being made again.
She went to the clinic in January 2009 to undergo IVF through an anonymous sperm donor. Staff used sperm labelled as “normal” despite it having been screened and identified as abnormal. She gave birth that October, after hearing the devastating news mid-way through her pregnancy.
She said: “I was absolutely horrified. I couldn’t understand how it was possible. Now I’m left worrying about what the future holds for my daughter. Nothing can turn back the clock for us but I would like to know what lessons have been learnt by the clinic.”
The clinic’s solicitor, Nico Fabri, has apologised for its “breach of duty.”
